Conveyor



De 27 1960 R. F. OLIVER Re. 24,916

CONVEYOR Original Filed April l0. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 T: INVENTQR.

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Dec. 27, 1960 R. F. OLIVER Re 24,916

h CONVEYOR Original Filed April 10, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent O CONVEYOR Roy Franklin Oliver, Crete, Nebr., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, lll., a corporation of Illinois Original No. 2,858,165, dated Oct. 28, 1958, Ser. No. 651,999, Apr. 10, 1957. Application for reissue Feb. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 12,894

Claims. (Cl. '302-36) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets [I] appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

an open-end tube in communication with a suction-` creating device is inserted into the bulk of the material which is to be unloaded, and the latter material is conveyed by suction to collection or storage points. An air` inlet disposedin the conduit adjacent the open end is essential for purposes of allowing air to enter the conduit in the course of the pneumatic conveying process.

Such a system has numerous drawbacks. For instance, the worker unloading the receptacle oftentimes inserts the open end of the conduit in the material to such a depth that the air inlet is covered, whereby operation soon stops, Oftentimes, the open end of the conduit is not inserted into the bulk of the material to a sufiicient depth whereby ineiiiciency of the provided system and high operating costs result. Such a system, as just described, is employed with open-top railway cars which allow large quantities of foreign contaminating materials to deposit on the upper surface of the material being unloaded. If a box car having a side opening is employed, particular difficulty is experienced in removing that portion of the finely divided material resting on the box car iloo-r; splinters of wood and other foreign material are often found intermixed with the material being removed.

The unloading and conveying apparatus, which is the subject matter of this invention, comprises a novel hopper attachment, and associated conduit, which is adapted to be secured to the opening in a railway car hopper or to the bottom of any other similar receptacle. lizing such a device, it is apparent that the diliiculties encountered in employing an open-end conduit member, above described, which is in communication with a suction-creating means is avoided. Since the finely divided materials to be conveyed by the provided apparatus are to be transported in hopper bottom cars, it is apparent that the problems of contamination and diiculty of removal encountered with other types of cars, above mentioned, are also substantially eliminated.

Consequently, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved unloading and conveying apparatus which is simple in details of construction and which may be composed of lightweight, inexpensive materials while Utiaording eiiiciency of operation heretofore unknown in the art.

It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus adapted to unload hopper-bottom cars, or similar receptacles, which is very readily cleaned and which insures sanitary operation since contamination by foreign substances is substantially completely avoided.

lt is a still further object of this invention to provide an unloading and conveying apparatus which is constructed so as to prevent any possibility of bridging of finely divided materials to take place adjacent the outlet apertures and, thus, assures an even continuous unloading operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus for unloading hopper-bottom railway cars which may simultaneously employ a plurality of hopper attachments whereby a plurality of car hoppers may be emptied concomitantly.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an unloading and conveying apparatus employing a novel adjustable damper member which enables a proper amount of air to be admitted to the lapparatus in the normal course of operation.

The above and other objects of this invention will become more apparent upon proceeding with the following detailed description, accompanying drawings and appended claims. I

In one embodiment of the unloading and conveying apparatus provided a hopper attachment, having opposed tapering walls and which is itself a hopper member, is employed and has runnin-g through the central bottom portion thereof a conduit member. The hopper attachment is adapted to be secured to a hopper spout portion of a railway car, or similar receptacle, from which materials to be unloaded flow. The latter conduit member has opposed rows of apertures through which the finely divided material which is flowing into the hopper attachhopper attachment member provided by this invention enable the iinely divided materials which are to be conveyed away to storage to evenly ilow into the conduit without bridging or 'caking of the materials taking place. The latter conduit portion is preferably of curvilinear or oval cross-sectional configuration. Such conguration will enable the line materials to ilow downwardly in an even manner into the conduit apertures and obviates any possibility of the material gathering on the top surface portion thereof.

In communication with the conduit portion dispose within the hopper are two opposed conduit portions arranged externally of the hopper attachment. One of these two hopper portions is of relatively short length and has disposed over its distal end limit a regulatable damper member which governs the volume of air which may be drawn into the conduit system. Attached to an oppositely disposed portion of the apertured conduit portion within the hopper attachment is a conveyor tube system which is in communication with a suction-creating means and which, in turn, terminates in a storage receptacle or other point of collection.

If desired, two -or more of the hopper attachments and their elongate conduit portions may join a main conduit branch into which all portions merge. Utilizing such an arrangement, it is apparent that a plurality of hopper attachments may be employed simultaneously, all of which operate on a single suction source.

Valve members which may beof a sliding-gate type may be `disposed in each of the conduit portions which almeria?! merge with a main 'conduit'portion.` The'valvemihbi" enable only desired branches and hopper attachments/'to be utilized, as desired, since the various branches may be cut olf from the suction source by closing appropriate valve members. n

For a more complete understanding of this invention,`r reference should now be made to the drawings wherein:

Figure `l is a fragmentary perspective View of ahoppe-V bottomrailway car member engaging a'hopper attach; ment of this invention, illustrated in normal operating position;

Fig. 2 is a'fragrnentary bottom perspeetivevi'ew'of a portion ofthe hopper 'bottom car and hopper 'attach ment illustrated in "Fig( 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective'viewof twohopper attachments and their merging conduit portions whichengage a main conduit member, frafgmentarilyfshown, which is, in turn, in communication with a vacuum-creating means;`

Fig. 4 'is'a fragmcntary'side elevational view of 'aly hopper attachment" provided by this invention, shown attached to the bottom opening of a hoppery member;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary"perspective viewofa portioii of the hopper attachment of this invention together with the damper'rnember associated therewith; and ,y

Fig. 6 is a plan viewof alter which may be employed l with the illustrated apparatus.

Referring now' to` the`drawings` and, more particularly, to Fig. 3, a pair. of hopper `at`tac`hr' r1'ents, which are them# selves hopper `members,i'are identied by the numeral 10.'l The illustrated hoppers or hopper attachmeiits'have Va` pair of opposedconvergingf.side vv'alls'124 and a pair of' opposed parallelfend' walls 114] Disposed `betweei"the"`l Wallsy 14'isfa conduit portion 16 which 'isfillust'ratdasf being of round or; tublarlconguation, althou'glifother configurationsfeteting "-,de'sied 'material fiow niaty'be- @mikaed.f..y

ln"thelillustratetl"ap ar 'the' 6' t'iitmp'rtiov` 16de@ depicted'as"'beingformed'integrally wi'tli'tw'o .ipposed conduit portionslS and which are disposed eiiternally" of thehopper attachmentu 10." However, it shouldl be noted that an arrangement wherebythe conduit portions'v 18 and 20 are 'discrete elements lies within the'scope of i this invention. Itlis, of course,"eqully obvious that' the conduit portion 16 'maycoip "emeithe'r a curved*sections4 which uti1izesthe bottomlpqrtoslof-the'opposed troppi walls 12' as'a conduit bottol`,"o "elsecompris' l'iinteigl`A V' l aperturedlengthoftuhing .p i

The relatively shortconduit section18'dispos'eiidnormly to one "endflwallof the hopper'l attachmenty 10 has'a fdarnper'unit 22 disposedover 'the distal end limit thereof. 50 The latter" damper comprisesv a cylindrical portion 24 4 havingY one aperturedv end surface which has' pivotallyfv engaged thereto or` rotatably mounted thereon a rotatably movableplate member26. The latter. plate 'member'is' pivotally mounted at 28 and is actuated by means of the projecting tab 30. The latter tab enables the sizeof the openings 32 disposed'in the cylindrical portion 24 to be` varied. The latter damper member is, thus, seen to bccapable of regulating the volume of ai'r which maybe drawn into the conduit portion 18 through `the openings 32 and, thus allows theH device to becomeadaptable-to any pneumatic system'. v Y p The conduit portion y20 illustrated invFig. 3 may be` inserted in a exible conduit tubing 34 which, in turn, isA in communicationawith'a branch 36a; offa Y-shaped conr duit portion 36. The lattereY-shaped memberamay, 'inf-Y turn, be incommunication with another exibley conduit tubing 38 whichlmay be 2in. liuid` communication with as vacuum-creatingmeans ksuch as a pumpmember;` kIt is apparentfrom Fig. 3 that two and even fmorehoppei' attachmentslfrnay have their elongate conduit portions 20 engage flexible "tubefconduit portions which,-inturn,4 engage conduitfbranch portions similar' to "the members 36a illustrated; It `will benotedifrorrrfFig-.u-B'"thatYJ shaped member 36 has the vertically moving gate valves 75 communication between a hopper attachment member 10 associated therewith and the suction pump 40.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 5, it will be noted that a plurality of apertures 44 are disposed on opposed sides (only one side being illustrated) of the conduit portion 16 disposed in the hopper attachment 10. Thefarea 'of the aperture openings is preferably substantially equal to the area of the cross section of the conduit portion 18, through which air is drawn in the normal course of operation. The latter sizerelationship insures the admissibility of a `required volume of air in the normal course of the illustrated apparatus operation.

It is the purpose of the apertures 44 disposed in the conduit portion 16`to admit the finely divided materials, such as grain or the like, into conduit portion 16 from which the)r will be drawn by suction to the flexible tubing portion" 34"ar`id ytlieri into the conduit portion 36a and mainfconduit 38.

smoothly ow into the conduit 16 without bridging or cakin'gaction'takingplace in the Vhopper 1I).-r The curved configurationof the conduit 16 discourages caking on the l 10-is lconnectedto thehopper opening-dening lflangefl portions 50? formed integrally with-hopperf-46, through*YA which thematerials are to'be discharged.'v

In FigiZ the manner in which a hopper attachment 10 is secured to a fhopperi-bottom'lianged portion 58 of a* hopperfcar 56 isillustrated.` The bottom-portion ofthe hopper y58-deiines afspout'having-an opening which-iis* maintained closed inthe'normal course of hoppercar rail'n movementt byfmeans'ofk aisliding gate member-6615; The:`

latter gate yis provided onI its undersurface with a rack62 lwhich is adapted to ymesh with the teeth of a pinion 64.

Thelatter' pinionr is mountedon' a rotatable shaft 66 having an yape'rtured end-portion 68 which is adapted to engagea crowbar or similar "crank member which will impartrotation'al movement Vto theshaft'66 and associ- -I ated pinion.- 64* for purposes "of withdrawing the-sliding? gate 601*- from beneathaethe lbottom `'portion- 58' of {hef-" hopper car; 'i

attachmentf'l may lengagefor supporti T hefC clamps 52 are employed `fin securing the remainingedges ofthe" hopperfattachments-l tothef-carhopper ungrooved edgewherebyv the pinion member 64 `rnove`s`the-v sliding ygatenmer'nber '60 from beneath' thehopper ymem-ber 58,- enabling the? finely divided materials Tin' thecar" hopper-to fall therefrom by t gravity -f into the `vhopper attachment-10; l

tra'ted ini--Figgf is then'actuated whereby ythe'rnaterial disposedtinfthe hopper adjacent the apertures VVK44 in the-#- conduit portion'16 `willflow into `and be drawn through the apertures and conveyed throughthe conduit portions 20, 34, 36 and38 to a point of collection. The discharge end oft conduit' 38',`fnot shown, will be located adjacent* suction pumpV 40". 'i

As'l soon"-as=`the vsuctionis `ene'i'gired'the damper platey 26 should be adjusted to allow the most desired volume The openings 44 are suicient' Y number and area to enable the finely divided materialsto of air to enter the illustrated system for purposes of enabling the finely divided materials to be conveyed. It

is obvious that once the system has been started it will continue to function until the entire contents of the various hoppers are exhausted.

Should one hopper be emptied before another and should the hopper system in Fig. 3 be utilized, a sliding valve 42 may be moved into the closed position, shutting oli the vacuum source from the car hopper which has been emptied. `One hopper attachment may then be readily disengaged and secured to a new hopper member after which the associated hopper gate 60 thereof will be opened, and slide valve 42 of the conduit associated with the appropriate hopper attachment 10 will be opened, enabling the unloading operation to continue uninterrupted.

It is apparent that many modifications may be made in the illustrated apparatus which will affect operation in some certain respects but which will still remain within the ambit of the inventive concepts disclosed.

yFor more eiiicient operation, `the conduit portion 20 should be inserted into the flexible-tube conduit portion 34 and the latter tube portion inserted into an opening of the Y-shaped conduit 36 in the manner illustrated. By having the conduit portion disposed further from the suction source inserted into the conduit portion disposed closer to the suction source, it is apparent that the jamming of material into the interfaces defined by the telescoping conduit portions is avoided.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be noted that the adjustable damper member 22 should be disposed a certain miniv mum distance from the conduit portion 16 disposed in the hopper attachment 10. This distance should be sufficient to prevent materials falling from an overlying hopper to liow through the openings 44 and escape through the adjustable damper 22. Consequently, by making the conduit portion 18 4of a minimum length, material being unloaded will not fall to the ground beneath the car. Thus, undue waste and an unsightly condition is always guarded against.

In this latter regard, it is also desirable to dispose the conduit portion 18 of the illustrated apparatus at an upwardly inclined angle relative to the conduit portion 16, as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 4. Such disposition will help insure against foreign particles being drawn into conduit portion 18. Conduit portion 20 may also be upwardly inclined as illustrated to assure suicient clearance with the ground in the course of having Itubing 34 connected thereto.

Filters such as filter 90 illustrated in Fig. 6 may be interposed between the rotatable plate 26 and apertures 32 of the damper 22 or otherwise suitably arranged to lter the air admitted into apertures 32. It is obvious that, if a maximum amount of air is required for the provided apparatus, the damper 22 may be removed from the end of the conduit portion 18.

The length of the conduit portion 20 is of no critical importance since it will substantially always be used with elongate flexible tubing of desired length. However, the por-tion 20 should be long enough so as to assure ready engagement with the flexible tubing. Also, although the apertures 44 in the illustrated conduits are of square configuration, slots or annular openings are also intended to lie Vwithin the scope of the provided invention.

It is believed apparent that other modifications falling within the scope of this invention may be devised. It is intended, therefore, that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for conveying iinely divided material from a plurality of receptacles comprising a plurality of hopper attachments, each of said hopper attachments having opposed converging wall portions, and means forming a conduit portion with said wall portions running therethrough and having a plurality of apertures disposed in said conduit portion adjacent said wall portions, a first conduit portion disposed externally of each of said hopper attachments in communication with said apertured conduit portion, vacuum-creating means in communication with each of said hopper attachments, a second conduit portion disposed externally of each of said hopper attachments in communication with each of said apertured conduit portions and oppositely disposed to said iirst conduit portion, regulatable damper means disposed in each of said second conduit portions, a main conduit member in communication with each of said first conduit portions distal end limits, each branch of said conduit members in communication with each of said hopper attachment members having valve means disposed therein whereby each of said hopper attachments may be disconnected from said main conduit member and suction-creating means in communication with said main conduit member.

2. An apparatus for conveying iinely divided material comprising receptacle means having converging wall portions, conduit means resting on the bottom of said receptacle means along the axis of said wall portions convergence in the normal position of assembly whereby `said conduit means rests on both wall portions, said conduit means having spaced apertures arranged substantially along parallel axes disposed adjacent the areas of engagement between said conduit means and each of said receptacle means converging wallportions, and means cooperating with one end of said conduit means disposed externally of said receptacle means for regulating the ad- -rnission of air into said conduit means end.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 in which said conduit means is of curvilinear cross-section whereby such inely divided material deposited Ion the surface thereof readily flows over the periphery thereof to :the junctures between said conduit means and receptacle wall portions.

4. An apparatus for conveying finely divided materials comprising a receptacle for snugly engaging the discharge opening of a hopper or the like, said receptacle comprising opposed downwardly converging wall portions joining along a substantially central axis of said receptacle, conduit means engaging said converging wall portions disposed substantially along said receptacle central axis, said conduit means having a plurality of spaced apertures arranged substantially along two axes arranged adjacent said conduit means-receptacle wall engagements, means in fluid communication with said conduit means and with the surrounding atmosphere disposed externally of said receptacle and means for regulating said communication between said conduit means and said surrounding atmosphere in the normal course of operation.

5. An apparatus `for conveying finely divided materials comprising a receptacle for snugly engaging the discharge opening of a hopper or the like, said receptacle having converging wall portions and a conduit means arranged along the juncture between said wall portions, said conduit means having a plurality of spaced apertures arranged adjacent the junctures said conduit means effects with each of said converging wall portions, means in uid communication with said conduit means and having an opening in communication with the surrounding atmosphere disposed externally of said receptacle, means for regulating the size of said opening in said means in communication with the surrounding atmosphere, the maximum area of said opening in communication with the surrounding atmosphere being at least equal to the combined area of said conduit means spaced apertures.

6. An apparatus for conveying jnely divided material comprising receptacle means having wall portions converging along a line forming a convergence axis, conduit means on said receptacle means along said axis, said conduit means having apertures arranged substantiallyalong parallel axes adjacent each of said receptacle means` converging wall portions to permit the flow of lading from said receptacle means lo said conduit means, means pro- 17 viding y. for the intake/f o) u." into sata vconduit4r means,y Fand means apmvidingffor whe evacuation intuir-and lading from s'aid'- conduit means.

l 7. frAnrapparatus'for conveying finely divided material comprising vreceptacle ymeans having convergingside wall ,portions and end wall portions, lsaidside wall portions converging vralong `a line forming'a-convergence axis, conduitmeans on said receptacle means along said axis, -said conduit means .havingy apertures arranged substantially along `parallel yaxes in'therside's of said conduit means and adjacent teach `of fsaid *receptacle means-converging side wall portions `and placing =the space fin `said receptacle means in `communication"with "the interior of said condutmeansto permit lading-in the former to yjiow into the latter, means,v providing for the intakeof `air into said conduit means, and `meanspr'oviding vfor the evacuation of airiand lading vfrom said 'conduit means.

i 8. lAn'apparatus 'for-conveying nely `divided material comprising receptacle means havingconvergin'g side wall portions and end wall portions,said side wall portions converging along a line forming a convergence axis,V conduit means :on said receptacle means along said axis, said conduit means having apertures arranged substantially along parallel axes in the sides of said conduit means and adjacent each of said receptacle means converging side wall portions and placing the space in said receptacle meansin rcommunicationwith the interiorof said conduit means' tto-permit ladingin the formerto flow into the latter, meansproviding forlthe intake of airth'rough one 'of ,saidf'end'wall :portions into k:said conduit means, and 'meansnprovidingfor the-evacuation of 'air and :lading through :the father toffsaid Vend; wall '.portionsfrom said conduit means.

'1.9. Anfapparatus forconveying finely divided material comprising receptacle means having converging side wall `portions and end wall po`rtions,said Aside wall yportions `s:anv'etl'gitrig along- 41* l-1lirte forming rfa L convergence axis,

conduitfmeansnml-'saidl receptacle min'vigsf along saidnx's in' 'the form 'of'fan inverted generally U-shaped "conduit section toprovide with th'e said Jsideiwall portions a conduit section having an upper conduit section and a lower conduit :section lhaving apertures ltherebetween arranged substantiallyalong-.parallel axeswhereby lading in said receptacle means flows onto said lower conduit section, means providing for vthe intake of air into said 'conduit means, and means providing for the evacuation of air and lading from lsaid conduit means.

10. -A'n apparatus for conveying finely divided material comprising :receptacle means having converging side wall vportions and `end wall portions, said side lwall portions converging along a line forming a convergence axis, conduit means on said receptacle means along said axis in the form of an inverted generally rU-shaped conduit section to provide with r-the said side wall portions a conduit section having an yupper conduit section and a lower conduit section having apertures therebetween arranged substantially along parallel axes w/zereby `lading in said receptacle means `flows onto -said lower-conduit section, means providing for the intakefof air through Vone of said end wall portions into said conduit means, and means providingfor the evacuation of ai'r and lading through the other of said end wall portions -from sad'conduit means.

References Cited vin the-Ie of this `patent 'or .the origmal patent UN ITED-STATES PATENTS *624237 Newell May 2, 1899 1,901,791 wooaeson Mar. 14, 1933 2,303,810 Aderson Dec. 1, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 123955105 -'Gre1riiaine Aug. 25,1925 

